New study investigates the reconstruction of the intertropical convergence zone

The study focuses on the so-called Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), a low-pressure trough near the equator whose position and intensity changes seasonally with the position of the sun. Trade winds from the northern and southern hemispheres meet here. This results in heavy cloud formation and heavy rainfall. To analyze how the ITCZ has changed over the past 30,000 years, researchers use the stable oxygen isotope δ18O in calcareous deposits in cave systems on land and deposits of calcareous organisms on the ocean floor.